On Tuesday, Pele was laid to rest in his final resting place in front of millions of grieving admirers in Brazil and around the world.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the recently-elected president, paid tribute at Vila Belmiro, the venue where Pelé spent the most of his playing days.
Pele was buried in the city where he was born, raised, and helped establish as the world’s sports capital. Before the black coffin was driven through the streets of Santos on a firetruck, mass was said in the Vila Belmiro stadium.
As it was being carried into the cemetery, musicians performed the anthem for the Santos squad and a Catholic hymn. Attendees sung Pelé’s favorite samba songs before the golden-wrapped casket came.
Manoel Maria, another former Santos player and Pelé’s closest buddy, was there at the stadium.
Maria said, “If I had all the wealth in the world I would never be able to repay what this man did for me and my family. He was as great a man as he was as a player; the best of all time. His legacy will outlive us all. And that can be seen in this long line with people of all ages here.”
